Micro Terrain Titans / Q-Steer

[Smoke&Mirrors]

Pics or Tut on the lights!

I don't know if I can do a tutorial, but I can take some pictures of what I have and describe how I did it.

Also, I don't know if you guys saw it, but if you look at the springs in my pictures, you might notice that they are thicker than the normal ones. I used spare ZZMT springs - the ones you remove when you do the lock outs. That helps a lot, and somehow, just by the nature of my wiring, the rear is a little stiffer too now! I need to touch up my cage, but other than that I love it how it is.

[betty.k]

i found the q-steers with the thinner front tyres turn better.

[sidewinder]

That's what I was thinking. It worked OK on hard packed dirt but I briught it in with me an tried it on my matress it wouldn't turn much at all goig forward, the fabric gave it too much traction to turn. So I took it back outside and watched it more closely, it looked like it was trying to turn but when it had traction it just couldn't pull the wider tires.

[crazydave]

Well this sucks. The Wife forgot to put the mail order in, and 2 days later they were sold out online. We just drove a couple cities over to get one. They only had two Boomerangs left, which is not what I wanted, but eagerly grabbed one up anyways.

Out of the box, two of the tires had flaps of rubber that made the tire want to sit severely crooked, and the slop in the front wheels is horrendous. I've had enough experience with bits, to know the spring is way to weak to center up the wider front wheels of the 4wd style Boomerang. I don't need to run this car to know it will not handle to my standards, which is good, because it is also DOA.

I put it on the charger, press the turbo button, and nothing. The car has voltage, I checked the controller batteries, and that they are making contact, but the controller just seems to do nothing.

So now my wife is going to drive across town to exchange it at a different store, but I'm not sure its worth the hassle, as I'm really not impressed.

[betty.k]

patience gwasshopper!

as i said, the ones with the fat front tyres like the hotshot (pictured) don't turn or center as well as ones with the thinner front tyres like the hornet (pictured).




and they are a little lacking in power, a fetmod would open them up just right.

fortunately the knuckles pop off easily with no tools required so it would be easy to throw microsizer front rims on.

once you get one going you'll be happy, trust me!

[ibjamn]

One thing that'll help with the slop in the front.....
is taking off the knuckle, then get a tiny metal rod, and tap the axle pin a little to close up the gap from the wheel to the knuckle.

[crazydave]

One thing that'll help with the slop in the front.....
is taking off the knuckle, then get a tiny metal rod, and tap the axle pin a little to close up the gap from the wheel to the knuckle.

I was actually going to do that, if I got one working, but I think that's exactly what frustrates me, all the fiddling just to make things work right. You know I've been spoiled lately.

Betty, I thought, I remembered ph2t saying something about these not taking well with FETs. Mailman hooked me up with a buttload of FETs, so I'll try it if you say it works, but otherwise...

[betty.k]

i dunno, i'll have to ask him when i see him next.

i just think a dual cell would make 'em too fast (and heavy) so a fetmod might be a happy medium.

[eddy]

I so called it. Micro Buggies will save micro rcs. What about LiPo Dual cells. I was planing on making that. Nice find. I thank you entirley(now I won't have to make a chasis. Micro Buggies. YAY. nice find. Modding will be even more fun. I'll be glad that my 3rd bit will be a buggy. THanx so much. Nice find. anyway, how about two or three LiPo Cells From this website:http://www.shop.kkpmo.com/index.php/cat ... 6f70fe3f34

[frizzen]

Ugh, Magnet coils are fiddley!

Watch out for falling off your desk and hitting the floor. I had a Boomerang pop a steering coil wire, yeah those are fun to fix!

[sidewinder]

Crap! I just remembered the stupid things are IR...damn it, the chassis is almost perfect for a Sprint Car body build, but as soon as I put a wing on top it will block the IR signal....

[crazydave]

What a nightmare that first one was. Went back they were out, got my cash back, drove all over town to two other TRUs, finally found another Boomerang, it was the last on the shelf. It did work, but not very well. The tires are so poorly molded, that it looks like a clown car rolling along the floor. Rear axle is bent, and gear mesh is binding. It doesn't steer in either direction. When it steers, it would seem it's just because a bump in the road knocked them that direction. I realize the larger wheels on the 4WD buggies don't help, but I've run bits with the heavy scala 43 aluminum wheels, and they were not this bad, so I wrote it off as a waste, and threw it on the pile.

Then yesterday, I was in Walmart, and there they were. They weren't there last week. They had everything except the Fox and Grasshopper, so the only 2WD styled one they had was the Hornet, and fortunately that was the one I wanted. I figured if this one sucked too, I could at least make the copy of my Rising Fighter, which is what I really wanted to do, but I wasn't sure if it was worth spending another $20.

So I went for it, and it works great, Totally different car, tires are perfect and spin true, steers great, goes faster, and the rear suspension still has some snap. I think the Boomerang had one too many people poke their finger through that little hole to "Try Me".

So this gave me hope, I dug out the Boomerang, and put some bit wheels on the front. Now it centers up, but still has very little steering. I pulled the front end apart, and found a small metal shaving that was probably screwing it up, I had hope once again. I thought if I just got this thing back together, it would be good, but it was bad. Now it no go. The PCB is getting power, the controller works on the other car, it almost seems as if its not getting a signal. I was up until midnight last night poking around with my volt meter trying to find a problem. I'm baffled.

So I'm happy the Hornet works. It's not super duper, but it works well enough I can drive it around my bed, and get little jumps off the wrinkles, so that's cool, but I'm tired and frustrated with the other one.

I figure eventually I can put a bit PCB in it, and since they are wider, I'll have to put a body on it, maybe I'll steal the body from my little baja Beetle bit, but for now I'm just going to leave it alone and move on.

Here's a pic of the little asshole, with the good son.

[sidewinder]

If anyone's interested TRU has them on clearance for $5.95...if they have any left. I think, the tRU near us that was advertising them is going out of business so maybe it's just a local thing? But I thought it would be worth mentioning, I'm going to check our out this week, but I doubt that they have any left.

[crazydave]

The Boomerang just magically started working again.

All that, and the steering still sucks on that one. Oh well.

$5.95 huh? Figures.

[PimpFloyd]

I'm on the road this week, needed under-shirts (and it's only Monday) so I ran to the Target next door. They had Titans on sale for 15.99 - I bought the Hornet.

In the larger "Cosmic Lottery of Life" I usually end up on the short end of the stick so I figured I'd get the DOA unit. Not so! It does work, I had to finally read the instructions to find out that it had an On-Off switch though.

As mentioned above, the steering is weak and the wheels have a race inspired camber to them that won't quit. All in all, it's worth it I guess if you are willing to tweak it and want an "off-road" looking bit. It's a good starting point.

I think a fet mod or stacked steering FET's might help and it might be cool to stick a bit RF RX in one if it will fit. The turbo button is awkward but I can jam mine for full time boost.

I brought my Shen Qui daily driver along for some hotel carpet rally but you must keep clearing the "hotel pube's" from the drive-line (LOL)...note to room service, a little vacuuming please!

Review from the road...

PF